Napkin dispenser



Sept. 12, 1950 E. N. BORDEN NAPKIN DISPENSER' Filed March 19, 1943 IN VEN TOR. Earl N BOI'dGIL.

This inventiin'relates to dispensers for napkins andsimilar articleswhich are intendedto be'rernoved from a holder oneatatime. v v

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a dispenser comprisinga casin'g'which serves as acholder for a pack or' charge of laminatedsheets or napkins, and having-therein a'ispring unit having a capacity.to push the: sheetsor in'ap kins toward the discharge opening bye'ngzatgirig the rear of the pack or charge near the't'opiandbottomithereofso as toexerta more orJ-less uniform outward pressurethereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a follower unit in theform of an arched or 'inverted V-shaped member wherein the arms orleaves of said member have the characteristic of a spring which may becompressed when the pack or charge is inserted in the housing of thedevice and which exerts continuing pressure on the charge until it isfully dispensed. In that connection, the invention contemplatesproviding the arm or leaf of the follower unit with an integral struckout spring finger which assists in pushing the pack or charge of napkinstoward the dispensing opening.

A further object is to provide a napkin dispenser consisting of aminimum number of parts, namely, a casing having opposite side-wallsprovided with openings and a single or one piece follower unit ofinverted V, or equivalent, shaped form, having fingers struck from theleaves thereof and adapted to be held in the housing or casing by athird element, namely, a bottom plate or base. Thus, basically, theinvention proceeds from the practical consideration of providing acommercially practical and feasible follower devvice which consists of aminimum number of parts, and which lends itself to standardmanufacturing practices, thereby to provide a construction which may beeconomically produced.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view, illustrating the several partsof the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross sectional view of the device, loaded withsheets or napkins for use.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several figures of the drawings.

As will be observed from Figure 1, the assembly generally includes acover or casing A, a spring follower unit B, and a bottom or base C. Thecasing A is provided with end walls I and l STATES; PA E T: GEE-IC 1 j I7.v-2"j522427 I I I QM I News. DISPENSER- J ,I' :B'orden, Hillsboro,Ten. I 4,

Application al-a s, 1948, Serial No.'1 5,790

side-walls 2, the latterhaving the openness;

The cover is preferably formed with its upper verted V-shaped followerunitB, Afterthe-unit B is placedin position, the base 'or;bottom C may,be placed-in the open ,end of the cover and affixed thereto by. welding,riveting,-:punchin g or; any well-known'means offastening the base to.the open end. of thecasing, depend-ingon whether the housing-and itsseveral vpartsqare made-of metal or plastic. Thus, it will be seen thatthe parts A, B and C may be readily made by standard manufacturingpractices and assembled by merely placing the unit B in the cover A andthen afiixing the bottom or base C.

Referring to the, fo1lower unit B, it will be observed that the same ispreferably of inverted V-shaped formation, thereby to provide the armsorleaves 4. Said leaves 4 preferably have their lower ends angularlydisposed outwardly, as indicated at 5. Also, each leaf 4 has a springfinger 6 struck out therefrom. This fingeris preferably integrallyconnected with the lower portion of a leaf at the zone of the junctionof the angular portion 5 with the main leaf, and extend upwardly andoutwardly from the body of the leaf in its unsprung condition. The upperend of each finger 6 is preferably angularly disposed, as indicated atl. The lower portion 5 of the leaves 4 andthe upper portions 1 of thefingers 6 are intended respectively to engage the upper and lowerportions of the pack or charge of napkins N, as will be seen from Figure2. It will also be observed from this figure that when the arms orleaves 4 of the unit B are compressed, the intermediate portions of thefingers 6 will engage the intermediate parts of the pack of napkins N.

To assist in properly positioning the unit B in the cover or casing A,the apical portion 8 thereof'is preferably anchored to the upper, innerportion of the casing A by inwardly projecting studs or spaced lugs 9.These lugs may be of any appropriate form, either integral or separate,depending on whether the casing A is made of plastic or metal. Thepurpose of the opposite pairs of spaced lugs 9-9 is to slidably anchorthe apical portion of the unit B in the cover and prevent lateralshifting thereof. Clearly, it is within the scope of the invention tomake the lugs 9 in the form of spaced extrusions of the end walls I. Itwill, therefore, be seen that the opposite pairs of spaced lugs not onlyassure the centering of the unit B when it is assembled rela- 3 tive tothe cover, but also assure proper functioning of the unit B when it isin use to the extent that the opposite spring leaves 44 and the springfingers 6-6 will exert uniform pressure on the charge or pack of napkinsin the cover.

The base C may be provided with an abutment H to prevent the lower endof either leaf of the unit B from being moved too far toward the otherif usual hand pressure is exerted on one stack of napkins while theother is partially reduced in Volume.

When the device is assembled as shown in Figure 2, it will be seen thatthe charge or pack of napkins N may be placed in the cover by pushingthe same through the openings 33, thereby compressing the oppositespring leaves 4-4, as well as the fingers 6-6. the charge or pack ofnapkins N becomes reduced by removing the exposed napkins, the leaves 44and fingers 6-6 will tend to expand to the position shown in Figure 1until the dispenser is empty. The dispenser may then be refilled foruse.

From the foregoing, it is believed that it will be understood that theconstruction and arrangement described provides a simple and practicalform of sheet dispenser that may be readily made of metal or plasticparts, and which, in use, functions efficiently for the intendedpurpose.

As shown in Figure 1, the end wall iof the As the volume of casing maybe provided with cooperating guide larly disposed spring fingers struckout from the body of said leaves, the bottom of said leaves and theupper portions of the fingers serving to engage upper and lower portionsof napkins confined between one side of the unit and the inner side ofthe related opening in the cover, and pairs of spaced studs projectinginwardly from the upper portion of the casing to slidably receive theapex of said unit and anchor the upper portion thereof in the cover.

EARL N. BORDEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,678,339 Horwitt July 24, 19281,791,586 Todd Feb. 10, 1931 1,793,682 Dahl Feb. 24, 1931 2,055,493Mothersall Sept. 29, 1936 2,252,616 Broeren et a1 Aug. 12, 1941

